1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to information cards generally, and more specifically to a card having a plurality of separable elements or features, such as an embroidered patch and a heat transfer, that may each be removed from such card and applied to a consumer article either independently of, or in conjunction with each other.
2. Preliminary Discussion
Keepsakes, memorabilia, souvenirs and the like serve important and useful functions in our society. Not only do they convey information and memorabilia concerning a particular experience, but they allow an individual to take and share such experience with their friends and family.
For example, an individual who visits a city attraction, such as a zoo or the like, for the first time might purchase a hat adorned with the individual""s favorite animal and the name of the zoo. In this example, the markings on such hat, and more particularly the name of the zoo, transform the function of the hat from one of complete utility to an ongoing remembrance of the individual""s visit. Such markings also serve an important marketing purpose with respect to the direct purchaser, but they also serve as a general marketing medium, i.e. it is anticipated that others seeing the source indicator might also desire to visit or frequent such source.
In general, whether a business is a pure xe2x80x9ctourist trap,xe2x80x9d such as Disney World(copyright) or the Statue of Liberty, or whether a business is a tourist trap by virtue of its placement in a particular city or location, such as the Washington Monument and the Smithsonian Museum, or whether the business is a purely local concern trying to attract customers, such as the sandwich shop down the street, the more people that frequent a particular location, the greater the benefit to the target business and the local economy. Consequently, businesses spend huge sums trying to attract customers or patrons to frequent their establishments.
Once customers or patrons are xe2x80x9cthrough the doorsxe2x80x9d so to speak, they are immediately enticed to spend money. Everyone knows that tourists, in particular, don""t like to go away empty handed. But even more importantly, tourists like to purchase items that have lasting value. For example, a photograph, magnet, button or an informational booklet describing or displaying a particular experience has lasting value, and can usually be enjoyed by future generations. An article of clothing displaying an aspect of a particular memorable experience tends to have a lesser amount of lasting value, since clothing tends to wear out with age and excessive use, but does in fact have great exhibition value, especially when it is important for the owner to convey that he or she has taken part in a particular experience. Patrons of rock concerts, professional sports games and plays that purchase licensed or sanctioned or authorized clothing items are perfect examples, and are also usually walking advertisements for such events, while university and college attendees and parents of the same frequently will wear items adorned with their college name or logo to show their school spirit or pride in being connected with such an institution.
Memorabilia usually come in one of two forms. The most popular type of memorabilia is the utilitarian or functional type, such as a shirt, button, magnet or the like. These items provide the patron with instant, expressive gratification as discussed above. The other type of memorabilia is the non-utilitarian or non-functional type, such as a booklet of information about a particular experience. Souvenir-type items in the form of booklets or other sources of audio, visual or literary-type information tend to have lasting value to the purchaser, and are usually intended to serve as a more complete reference commemorating a particular experience.
It is rare, however, that prospective patrons or customers are provided with the ability to purchase an item or souvenir that is both functional and non-functional as described above. The item of the present invention is a unique product designed to convey information about a particular topic, i.e. in the form of a non-functional card-type medium, along with the provision of a plurality of functional keepsakes related to such topic and integrated into such product. The functional articles provided along with the information card may be separated from the information card and applied to another object to create an additional keepsake incorporating such functional articles. More specifically, the assembly of the present invention is comprised of an informational card having a first article, preferably a patch, embroidered emblem or the like, removably attached thereto and capable of being applied to a separate object, and a second article, preferably an adhesively applied heat transfer, removably attached thereto and capable of being applied to the same separate object either independently of, or in conjunction with the first removable article. Both removable articles bear indicia that are preferably related in some fashion to the material conveyed on the informational card. Therefore, the owner of the informational card of the present invention obtains the lasting benefit and value of having an item of written information about a particular subject or experience, and the further ability to create independent functional item or items related to such subject or experience.
3. Description of Related Art
It is known to provide functional items in packages or as assemblies, with such functional items being related to information provided in or on such packages or assemblies. For example, a pizzeria that delivers to a local area might distribute cards with their menu printed thereon, and such cards might also have a magnet adhesively attached thereto with the name and phone number of the pizzeria printed on the face of such magnet. In this example, the functional aspect of the information card is the menu, while the non-functional aspect is the magnet that would presumably be attached to a prospective customer""s refrigerator for easy access to the information printed thereon. While the magnet is essentially non-functional with respect to the business except with respect to whatever advertising information it may embody, it is at least potentially functional for the customer, which is the reason the customer hopefully retains it in the modern throwaway society. Furthermore, the magnet serves as an immediate reference for dialing the pizzeria and possibly ordering items that don""t require the perusal of the lengthier menu, while the menu serves as a more complete reference for perusing the totality of options.
Other methods of conveying information and functional articles in a single package are known in the greeting card art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,547,359 to R. Bacharach discloses a combination greeting card and framed picture, with the picture shown through a cutout in the front of the card. The picture is removable and capable of being displayed in one""s home, and thus provides the recipient with an essentially functional keepsake, while the card serves as a medium to convey a written message, i.e. non-functional information.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,778 issued to H. H. Mahler et al. discloses a combination greeting/post card with a wax-like adhesive applied to the back surface of the card for display-like attachment to a wall or the like. The front sheet of the card may be separated from the back and mailed as a postcard, leaving the back sheet adhered to the wall. The adhesive surface transforms the non-functional back part of the card into a functional display piece, while the greeting or message printed thereon is retained as a keepsake or mailed as a postcard.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,851 issued to D. T. Goates discloses a thermocontractive plastic plate adhesively applied to a postcard for subsequent thermal transformation into a novelty item. The card with the plate attached is placed in an oven and heated until the adhesive between the plate and the card dissolves and the plate shrinks into a novelty item. The Goates reference illustrates the application of a single, distinct, removable article from an information card, which article is transformed into a stand-alone novelty item.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,222 issued to E. P. Feuer discloses a removable decal with a removable backing sheet that is viewed through a window in the front sheet of a greeting card. The decal may be removed from the card and applied to another surface, thereby enabling the user to create a single, functional item from the removable decal. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,941 issued to E. Halperin discloses a greeting card with a removable and reusable insert in the form of a multicolored embroidered emblem that is adhesively or heat-applied to a separate article.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,365 issued to J. H. Stuart discloses a greeting card with a removable message insert of various embodiments. The removable insert is disclosed as being adhesively or magnetically attachable to a surface, or capable of being hung like a holiday ornament.
None of the prior art references of which the inventor is presently aware discloses an informational-type card assembly designed to convey information about a particular topic along with the provision of a plurality of functional keepsakes related to such topic and integrated into such product, with such plurality of functional articles capable of being applied to a separate object either independently of, or in conjunction with each other.
More specifically, none of the prior art references disclose an informational card having both a removable heat transfer and a removable emblem, patch or the like, each of which can be applied to separate articles independently of each other, or to the same article in an overlapping fashion, such that the combination of the applied articles on a single surface creates a homogeneous image consistent with, or distinct from an image shown on the informational card.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an informational card having a plurality of separable elements or features that may each be removed from such card and applied to a separate article either independently of, or in conjunction with each other.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having both utilitarian and non-functional aspects in a single assembly.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer and a removable emblem, patch or the like, each of which can be applied to separate articles independently of each other, or to the same article in an overlapping fashion.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer and a removable emblem, patch or the like, which when applied to the same article in an overlapping fashion create a homogeneous image.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer and a removable emblem, patch or the like, which when applied to the same article in an overlapping fashion create a homogeneous image consistent with, or distinct from an image shown on the informational card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a folding informational card having a removable emblem positioned along an inside surface of the card that is viewable from the front surface of the card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a folding informational card having a removable patch or emblem positioned along an inside surface of the card that is viewable from the front surface of the card and a removable heat transfer removably positioned along the back surface of the card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer that is removably positioned along the back surface of the card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer that is removably positioned along the back of the card and consists of the same image as viewed from the front of the card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a folding informational card having a removable patch or emblem positioned along an inside surface of the card that is viewable from the front surface of the card and a removable heat transfer removably positioned along the back surface of the card that is also viewable from the front surface of the card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable heat transfer removably positioned along the back surface of the card and which is applied to a separate and distinct article via the direct application of heat through the information card.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an informational card having a removable emblem, patch or the like positioned along a front surface of the card, and a removable heat transfer positioned along the back surface of the card, that are both applied to a separate and distinct article together via the direct application of heat through the front surface of the card.
Still other objects and advantages of the invention will become clear upon review of the following detailed description in conjunction with the appended drawings.
An informational card incorporating a plurality of separable, functional articles that are removable from such card and capable of being applied to a separate article or articles, either independently of, or in conjunction with each other. More specifically, the informational card of the invention comprises a removable patch, embroidered emblem or the like, that may be adhesively or heat applied to a separate article, with indicia that bears some relation to the information conveyed on the card. A second removable article, preferably in the form of a heat transfer or the like, is also adhesively applied to the back of the information card, and such heat transfer or the like may be transferred to a separate article via the direct application of heat through the surface of the informational card. Means are provided in the second removable article to accommodate the placement or positioning of the first removable article during the conjunctive application of both removable articles to an article separate and distinct from the informational card.
The informational card of the present invention is designed to function as a keepsake, item of memorabilia, souvenir or the like, conveying information about a particular topic or item of interest. The informational card of the invention is also equipped with removable functional articles that enhance the value of the card by providing the owner with the ability to create additional keepsakes capable of being worn or otherwise displayed separate and apart from the informational card.